Conveyer.



No. 685,026. Pat ented 00f. 2'2,'|90|.

J. H. BELL. GONVEYER.

(Applicafion filed Mar. 13, 1900. RBQBWEG May 15, 1901.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES v PATENT FFICE,

JOHN H. BELL, OF HADDONFIELD, NElV JERSEY.

CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 685,026, dated October22, 1901.

Application filed March 13,1900. Renewed May 15, 1901. Serial No.60.365. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. BELL, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Haddonfield, county of Camden, State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyors; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will onable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in conveyors used for ensilage andother prod nets, and which must be elevated and carried from the machineto the loft or place of storage after such products are cut and preparedfor use by the machine employed for such purpose, and is operated fromthe engine which works the cutting-machine and has its lower endsupported in proper position on the framework of the cutting-machine. Asin many instances the conveyor must reach for a long distance above themachine, it must be made in sections to permit of its adaptation toreach and deliver at dilferent distances, to afford ease in handling anderecting as well as convenience for storing when it has to betransported to various places for use, and the means for securing thetrough-sections together, while made to provide a very stiff andstraight course, must also be such as to be readily applied and withoutany loose or detached parts and without the employment of speciallyskilled labor. I have also provided means to deliver the elevatedmaterial at the desired point without any part of it being carried backand dropped outside of the storage-loft, as is done by the constructionsheretofore in use. I also provide a means to automatically keep theworking link belt from becoming too slack and running off of itsdriving-wheel; also, a friction attachment, so that when from any causea clog occurs the flights and their load are stopped no breakage of thedriving-shaft or any of its attached parts will take place, and thepower may be shut off until "the obstruction is overcome. I haveillustrated but two sections of length of the conveyor-trough; but

it will be readily understood that any desired number of intermediatesections may be introduced, as each of such sections are madewith ends,as illustrated, male and female, for such purpose. I attain theseobjects by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig.2 is a plan of the lower section,showing also its joining with an intermediate or upper section and thefriction device. Fig. 3 is a plan of the top section, showing thedelivery-roller. Fig. 4 is a modification.

Similar figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout theviews.

The lower section of the conveyor-trough consists of a bottom part 1,andjoined thereto are perpendicular side pieces 2 3. In the upper sectionthere is a bottom piece 4 and side pieces 5 6. Attached to the outsideof sides 2 3, and preferably by bolts 7, are guide-pieces 8 9, which arelong enough to project beyond tance they overlap sides2 3, where theyoverlap sides 5 6 of the adjoining section. Close to the upper ends ofbottom 1 and sides 2 3 I attach a U-shaped strap 10 to the outsides ofguide-pieces 8 9, preferably by bolts 11, the center 12 of strap 10passing below sides 5 6 and across from side to side with its uppersurface flush with the under side of bottom 4. At about the samedistance from the outer end of guide-pieces 8 9 as strap 10 is from theend of bottom 1 I attach another strap 13, it being an inverted U andpreferably by bolts 14, the center 15 of this strap passing acrossfrom'side to side with its under side flush with the top edges ofguide-pieces 8 9. In Fig. 4 will be seen a modification in which inplace of the strap 13 I use a pair of straps 45, one being secured toeach guide-piece 8 9 in the same place and manner as 13 by bolt-s 46,but instead of being joined across is bent inward, as at 47, whichpasses above the tops of guides 8 9 and sides 5 6 and thence down insideof sides 5 6 for a short distance, as 48. a hooked-strap connectionobviates the ne cessity of the conveyed load being limited as to heightparallel or below the top of the trough sides 2 3 5 6. The lower end ofthe This form of fastening with upper section of the trough or of anysection interposed is without attachments except lugs 16 17, which aresecured to the tops of sides 5 G at just the right place to have theirupper ends abut the lower edge of straps 13 or 45 when the sections arejoined, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

In joining the sectionsit is only necessary to slightly deflect theupper end of the upper section to enable the insertion of bottom 1 overpart 12 of strap 10, so that lugs 16 17 may pass under strap 13 or 45,when the upper end of the section being moved to a straight line withthe lower or adjoining section they will be securely held together, astheir weight and the load they carry tends to force bottom 4 onto part12 of strap and the upper edge of sides 5 6 against part 15 of strap 13or part 47 of strap 45, while lugs 16 17 abut strap 13 or 45 and preventthe adjoining sections from separating endwise.

At the lower end of the bottom section of the trough are flanged lugs 1819, bolted to sides 2 3 and having at their lower ends a jaw 20, whichfits over and partially embraces a hub 21 of'each bearing 22, bolted toframing 23 of the cutting-machine. Ashaft 24 is placed in bearings 22,and on the shaft central in the trough is seen red a sprocket-wheel25,0ver which is placed and driven link belt 26, to which are securedflights 27. The shaft 24: extends beyond one bearing 22, and a flangedhub 28 is keyed or otherwise secured to revolve with shaft 2t. Asprocket-wheel 29 abuts the flanged hub 28 and runs freely on shaft 24and on its side opposite hub 28 is provided with a disk 30, of leatheror othercompressible material, which in turn abuts a plate 31, having ahub 32 and caused to revolve with shaft 24: by a feather 33 let into theshaft and the plate and its hub, but over which they move freely in thedirection of the shafts length. The shaft Ell has a screw-thread cutupon its outer end, and a nut Set is screwed thereon. A link belt runson sprocket-wheel 29,0011- necting it with the cutting-machine, and bywhich it is driven. By turning nut 34 on its thread and forcing thedescribed parts against the sprocket-wheel 29 a sufficient amount offriction can be exerted to operate the 0011- veyer and carry its loadbut whenever it is clogged or obstructed or exceeds the force exerted bythe friction produced upon the sprocket-wheel 29 it will revolve withoutoperating the conveyer or breaking any of the moving parts, and themeans I have shown and employ furnish a ready method to adjust thedriving power to the work to be done and avoid breakages and damageincase of any obstruction.

At the upperend of the conveyer it has generally been the practice whenusinglink belts to place a sprocket-wheel similar to the wheel at thelower end with the upper end of the trough at the center of the wheel.As the conveyers are introduced into the storage-lofts through a windoworslmilar opening and often at as great an angle as sixty degrees, itwill be readily understood that this angularity will cause an open spacefrom the end of the trough to the periphery of the wheel over which theflights pass, the amount of open space thus caused being proportionateto the the angle, or no space if the trough is vertical, and the spaceincreasing with each degree of angle the trough is set less thanvertical or ninety degrees until when reaching its greatest amount at ahorizontal line there is the greatest space. Through this space theconveyed material drops short of its destination andcauses trouble inplacing the conveyer and work in rehandling the droppings. To overcomethese objections, I place a sprocket-wheel 37 at the upper end of thetrough, which runs close to the bottom t and has only a small space 36cut away to clear its teeth 37, which project from the body of theroller just enough to engage the link belt and guide it. A flangeprojecting outward from the roller at each side of the chain or a groovecut in the roller could be employed to guide the chain; but I deem theuse of such devices equivalent to the means I have described and which Iprefer to employ. The flights 27 follow the periphery of the rollers 35,attached to each side of sprocketwheel 37, and at any and every angleinsure the dropping of the conveyed material from the extreme end of theeonveyer. Bearings 38 support the sprocket-roller 35. To keep the linkbelt tight enough to prevent its swaying sidewise, and prevent itsthereby being guided off of its driving-wheel 25, I employ aguide-roller 39, journaled in links 40, secured to the'trough at 41, theroller being preferably about the width of the trough and near thedriving-wheel A bar 42 reaches from the link l0 on one side to thecorresponding link on the other side, is journaled at its ends to eachlink, and at the center of its length is tapped to receive a screw 43,having a hand-wheel 4:4, by means of which the roller can be adjusted toprevent the sway of the link belt for a conveyor in any number ofsections and insure the link belt running in a line to truly guide it onto its driving-Wheel.

I am aware that an idle sprocket-pinion has been used to run on thechain or belt for tension purposes, but in my practice I have found thatthe chain or link belt is very liable to run off of the sprocket and thechain and flights become entangled with the sprocket teeth and thesupports of the sprocket-wheel which lie close to it. Hence I haveintroduced the wide roller 39 and placed its supports away from the pathof the chain and also placed my roller near the driving-wheel 25 toinsure the chain being surely guided thereto and to prevent any breakageregardless of the amount of side sway of the chain.

My sprocket-roller 35 37 and guide-roller 39 are equally adapted toconveyers using one or two link belts.

I claim- 1. In a conveyor, a trough therefor in sectional lengths,having at the junction of the lengths guide-pieces secured to onesection, and extending beyond said section, embracing and overlappingthe end of the inserted and adjoining section, means secured to theguide-strips to underlie and support the bottom of the inserted section,and near its end, means near the outer projecting ends of theguide-strips to go over the inserted section, from side to side, andprevent its raising, and means thereto abutting to secure the sectionsfrom end separation when they are secured between the means to support,and to prevent rising, substantially as set forth.

2. In a conveyer, a trough therefor in sectional lengths, having at thejunction of the lengths guide-pieces secured to one section, andextending beyond said section, embracing the end of an inserted andadjoining section, means secured to the guide-pieces to underlie andsupport the bottom of the inserted section, means upon the guide-piecesnear the overhanging ends, to go over each side of the inserted section,at its top, to look upon and prevent its rising, and means theretoabutting to prevent the sections from parting end- Wise when placedintrue alinement, substantially as described.

3. In a conveyer, a trough, a link belt and flights thereto secured,means to drive the link belt, means, opposite the driving means, toguide the link belt, a roller the full Width of the trough, journaled inlinks at each side of the trough, suspended to the trough in manner tomove radially from its attachment, under the trough and over thereturning part of the link belt and its flights, and means to press theroller to the belt to prevent the side swaying of the belt or itsentangling in the roller-supports and guide it to its driving- Wheel,substantially as and in the manner set forth.

4. In a conveyor, a link belt and. flights therefor, a driving-Wheel forthe belt,a driven roller for the belt, a trough formed in sectionsjoined to each other by male and female ends, interlocking and securedto each other by means to secure vertical and sidewise alinement andprevent their separation when so interlocked, said means consisting ofattached parts constructed to unite the adjoining sections without othermanipulation, adjustment or fastenings than the entrance of the malepart into the female part at a vertical angle and when so entered,interlocked and secured by simply straightening the sections in truevertical alinement, substan= tially as fully set forth. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of tWowitnesses.

JOHN H. BELL.

Witnesses:

W. II. ALCOCK, R. C. WRIGHT.

